Port Everglades, Florida Worker Injured in Cargo Container Accident

A Port Everglades, Florida worker was injured on the job on Sunday after a cargo container trapped his leg, news sources report. Information regarding the victim’s identity was not immediately available following the incident. He sustained minor injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Police are currently conducting an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. So far, no charges have been filed; it is unclear whether the victim will file for damages.

According to reports, the incident occurred at Port Everglades in Broward County. The worker was on a ship docked at Berth 30, looking over cargo containers, when one of them dislodged and trapped his leg, reports say. A response team used a ladder to get to the victim and free him; the victim was then taken to the Broward Health Medical Center. An update on his condition was not immediately available at press time. It is currently unclear what company the victim worked for; it is also not known whether the cargo containers were properly stowed at the time of the accident. An investigation is ongoing.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were around 117 cases of work-related injuries and illnesses per 10,000 full-time workers in 2011. That same year, around 40% of all work-related incidents were attributed to being struck by an object, falling, and overexertion while lifting or lowering an object. Oftentimes, the workplace itself is to blame for on-the-job accident and is thus liable for the worker’s injuries.

While most work-related accidents result in injuries, sometimes the consequences can be fatal. Mark Freeman and Kenneth Krason were both killed in an on-the-job accident at Port Everglades earlier this year; a third worker, Thomas Fischer, was critically injured. The accident occurred when the lift the victims were working on toppled over. Homicide detectives are investigating the accident and have not yet determined whether negligence was involved. So far, there is not indication that a lawsuit has been filed.

Reports say the construction accident occurred on March 15 at Port Everglades. The three victims, who were working for Port Everglades, were on a scissor lift repairing a passenger gangway. The gangway is the primary boarding bridge that connects Terminal 1 to cruise ships.
For reasons that are not yet clear, the scissor lift fell over while the victims were making the repairs. Krason, 49, of Boca Raton, and Freeman, 51, of Coconut Creek died at the scene. Fischer, 49, sustained serious injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he remained overnight.

The same day as the tragic accident, a Port Everglades’ CEO spokesperson said, “We treat safety as our No. 1 priority here. “We have training programs in place. We are trying to understand exactly what happened here today.”

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office has handed the investigation over to the homicide unit, who will try to determine whether anyone was at fault for the accident. “On behalf of the Broward Sheriff’s Office, I want to extend a heartfelt sympathy to the families,” a police spokesperson said.